CHRISTMAS: Avocado Salad Tree

December 15, 2014 at 6:45 pm · Filed under Christmas, Food Fun, Recipes, Vegetables-Salads-Herbs

A delightful Christmas salad. Photo courtesy
AvocadoCentral.com.

Holiday buffets will look even more inviting when this pretty Christmas tree-shaped salad is on display. It’s served with a zesty chile vinaigrette dressing for a fiesta of flavor.

Prep time is 30 minutes.

Use ripe avocados that are a little on the firm side for best results, and brush the avocado slices with a soft, food-safe paint brush dipped in lime juice or lemon juice to prevent discoloration.

This dish can also be made with granny smith apple slices instead of avocado.

If you don’t like crab meat, you can substitute grated white Cheddar or other semihard cheese for the “snow” at the bottom of the platter.

RECIPE: AVOCADO CHRISTMAS TREE SALAD

Ingredients

2 firm-ripe Hass avocados, halved, peeled and seeded (use more as needed)

1 lime, juiced

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup pomegranate arils (seeds) and/or fresh raspberries

1 tablespoon dried cranberries

1 green onion, white portion only, sliced into rounds

1 slice star fruit (carambola) or pineapple

6 small chives

1 cup fresh crab meat, picked over for cartilege

RECIPE: CHILE VINAIGRETTE

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

1/2 tablespoon grated lemon zest

Preparation

1. SLICE each avocado half into six equivalent size slices. Brush the slices with lemon or lime juice. Arrange them on a platter into the shape of a Christmas tree, as shown in the photo above, leaving at least 3 inches at the top and bottom of the platter. Sprinkle lightly with salt.

Hass avocados. Photo courtesy AvocadoCentral.com.

2. ARRANGE the pomegranate arils or raspberries, cranberries and green onions on top of the avocado tree to look like ornaments.

3. PLACE the star fruit at the top point of the tree. Alternatively, use a star-shaped cookie cutter to cut a star out of a slice of pineapple. Add the chives in a criss-cross pattern over the avocado slices, to emulate a garland.

4. ARRANGE the crab along the bottom of the tree to resemble snow.

5. PLACE the vinaigrette ingredients in a salad dressing carafe, cover and shake a few times to combine. Serve alongside the Avocado Tree Salad.

Find more avocado recipes at AvocadoCentral.com.

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